Dru Brown will start at quarterback Saturday when the Winnipeg Blue Bombers visit the Toronto Argonauts in the East semifinal.
asserted
Bombers → start → semifinal
Brown’s status was confirmed when Winnipeg released its depth chart Friday.
asserted
Winnipeg → confirm → chart
The move wasn’t a surprise as incumbent Zach Collaros (ribs) was listed as questionable for the playoff game.
asserted
Collaros → list → game
Brown replaced an injured Collaros in last week’s 34-10 win over the B.C. Lions, completing all 11 passes he attempted for 185 yards and two TDs.
asserted
he → replace → yards
Chad Kelly will start Saturday’s game for Toronto.
asserted
Kelly → start → Toronto
Kelly didn’t play in Toronto’s regular-season finale versus Montreal last week due to a knee injury but was a full participant in practice this week.
asserted
Kelly → play → practice
Kelly understands how important game management will be in the East Division semifinal but a message from home emphasized that point.
asserted
message → understand → point
The two teams split their regular-season series 1-1 but both contests were played in Manitoba due to World Cup games being staged in southern Ontario.
asserted
games → split → Ontario
This week, Kelly, of Buffalo, N.Y., signed a five-year extension with Toronto that will pay him over $1 million annually.
asserted
that → sign → million
The deal comes after the ’23 CFL outstanding player established career highs in passing yards (5,067) and TDs (33).
asserted
player → come → yards
But Kelly, 32, also threw a CFL-high 24 interceptions, some coming when he pressed to make the big throw downfield.
asserted
he → throw → throw
Kelly has continuously said this season it’s important he manage games, sustain drives and not force matters.
asserted
he → say → matters
“I got a text from my uncle Jim this morning,” Kelly said Friday.
asserted
Kelly → get → uncle
“He said, ‘Take what the defence gives you.’
asserted
defence → say → you
“I’ve got to make sure I come out managing the situation and knowing when I can take my shots but just trying to feel the flow of the game and get comfortable out there.”
asserted
I → get → game
Kelly’s uncle is none other than Jim Kelly, the Hall of Fame quarterback who guided the Buffalo Bills to four straight Super Bowl appearances in the 1990s.
asserted
who → guide → 1990s
Toronto averaged a CFL-best 342.5 passing yards per game and was tied with Montreal for most TD passes (39).
asserted
Toronto → average → passes
Winnipeg’s defence allowed the fewest passing yards (272.1 per game) and completions (389) during the regular season.
asserted
defence → allow → season
But a challenge Toronto’s offence presents is a receiving corps that had four 1,000-yard performers, Damonte Coxie, Tyler Kahmann and Canadians David Ungerer III and Kevin Mital – a franchise first.
asserted
that → present → performers
“That’s huge,” Kelly said.
asserted
Kelly → ’ → ?
“You just know where they’re going to be at all times.
asserted
they → know → times
“Everyone has understood to run fast every play (because) you might get the ball.
uncertain
you → understand → ball
We just try to make sure we’re on the same page and paint the picture the way it’s supposed to be painted.”
asserted
it → try → picture
Kahmann was named the CFL’s top rookie Friday after registering 77 catches for 1,092 yards and eight TDs.
asserted
Kahmann → name → yards
There could be opportunities for Toronto to establish its ground game as Winnipeg was ranked eighth (117.4 yards per game) against the run.
uncertain
Winnipeg → establish → run
But the Argos only rushed for 72.2 yards per game, second worst in the CFL.
asserted
Argos → rush → CFL
“Well, you’d like to think so (there be chance for Toronto to run versus Winnipeg),” said Argos head coach Mike Miller.
asserted
Miller → like → Winnipeg
“But it’s another thing when you hit the field and you’ve got to go out and start moving guys around and make things happen.”
asserted
things → ’ → guys
The Bombers have the CFL’s fifth-ranked ground game (101.6 yards per game) but it’s spearheaded by Canadian Brady Oliveira.
asserted
it → have → Oliveira
The Winnipeg native led the league in rushing attempts (237), yards (1,493), 100-yard games (eight) and runs of 10-plus yards (44).
asserted
native → lead → yards
Miller has a rather novel idea of how Toronto might try to slow Oliveira down.
uncertain
Toronto → have → Oliveira
“Try to sneak 15 guys on the field, maybe,” he said.
asserted
he → try → field
“Hey look, I think he (Oliveira) is a future Hall of Famer.
asserted
he → look → Famer
It’s a great challenge for us; one we’re looking forward to.”
asserted
we → ’ → us
Brown replaced an injured Collaros in last week’s 34-10 win over the B.C. Lions, completing all 11 passes he attempted for 185 yards and two TDs.
asserted
he → replace → yards
Both teams also have big-time kick returners who can immediately change the flow of a game.
asserted
who → have → game
This week, Winnipeg’s Trey Vaval was named the CFL’s top special-teams player for the second straight year, a league first after leading the way in total return yards (2,868).
asserted
Vaval → name → yards
Toronto’s Janarion Grant had three return TDs this season, tying him with Calgary’s Tyreik McAllister for tops.
asserted
Grant → have → tops
“Those two returners are unreal,” Miller said.
asserted
Miller → say → ?
“As we’ve seen, they can break a game wide open with the next return.
asserted
they → see → return
…and 5 more, not listed.
The Aporia
